FWCS Extends School Day to Make Up Time Lost to Cancellations

The Fort Wayne Community Schools Board of School Trustees approved a plan Monday, Feb. 24, to extend the school day by one hour from March 3-April 11, with the exception of Friday, March 28, to make up for time lost to weather cancellations in January and February. March 28 is the last day of school before Spring Break.

FWCS had to cancel classes a record 12 times because of snow, ice and extreme cold. State law (IC 20-30-2) requires public schools to make up lost days. This additional time allows the district to make up four school days, which will move the end of the school year for students to Friday, June 6 (barring any additional closures). Graduation dates and times will remain the same.

Anthis Career Center morning programs will run on normal time (7:45-10:45 a.m.); afternoon programs will begin at 12:50 p.m. and end at 4 p.m. for FWCS students.

“We are doing the best we can under extreme circumstances to ensure students have as much time in the classroom as possible prior to spring testing,” Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson said. “We understand this may create conflicts with family schedules, but with ISTEP+, IREAD and End of Course Assessments coming up, we need to make up the instructional time now.”

Update: With the school closure on March 12, the extended day schedule was extended to Wednesday, April 23.

With nearly 30,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is one of the largest school districts in Indiana. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 50 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.